Art and social selling

When I started my "official" sales career social selling to us was writing down the names of firms on Lorries ( Trucks) on your way into work and see if they wanted what we were selling!

Fast forward 16 years and the arrival of professional, broadcast, vertical social networks has eradicated the excuse of not doing a bit of homework first. ( Would be arrogant not to , No)

However what happens when all the social networks, e mail templates, top 10 lists, sharing, liking, loving, caring , buzzwords, disruption, calling just does not get through.

So I had to come up with something that was honest, authentic and something i really gave a shit about. The answer for me was ART. ( specifically Painting & Drawing)

Firstly I picked a few companies I was absolutely convinced I could help them hit some specific goals I researched.

I used Linkedin sales navigator to follow the company, check out the folks that work there, see what challenges , wins, results, goals they were looking to achieve for themselves and their respective businesses. 

I came up with 3 companies that I would try my new ART prospecting approach.

Example: One company was based in New York. So I did an original piece of Artwork of the Flatiron building. ( The HQ was across the street) and sent it to the CEO with a note saying:

" Mr. ....  ( I am a limey forgive my formals)  I enjoyed your comments on the 2015 Q1 conf call and the specific objectives you laid out to reach X buyers. I know that group of buyers really well and it takes a lot to break through in a market like this.   Anyway, I hope you like your signed original piece of Artwork I did specifically for you and your organization. Respectfully, Kenny Madden"

Ok for all you macho EVP, VP of sales out there asking- What is the ROI? What were the results? 

Here you go:

I sent a very specific relevant original piece of Artwork to three  companies - 

Here were the results:

35 people from those companies came to view my linkedin profile.

1 conversation with a CEO, CMO 

1 conversation with the CMO. ( CEO showed him the drawing and said go check this guy out)

1 conversation with VP of marketing

$150,000K Qualified pipeline generated.

$28,000k closed so far.

P.S: Bonus one :  I sent an e mail to a potential prospect and his out of office suggested he was on Mars picking up rocks for 2 weeks and would be late replying to e mails. I sent him a copy of the book the Martian with a hand written note. Hope you like the book after your trip and looking forward to potentially working with you in the distant future . 

Thanks goodness my Artwork is better than my phone skills :) :)